Fire and the Tiniest Claws
by SilverMoon2015
Summary: IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REWRITTEN AS A DIFFERENT STORY! Read last chapter for author's note!
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**A/N: I know I have another story I'm working on called The Third Sister Of Bluestar, and this story is not related to it in any way, so sorry if you thought it was related to my other story.**

 **This story is a what if story, and if you had** **read my other story you'd see that I have a thing for what if stories, so please NO FLAMES! This first chapter has the allegiances and the prologue is at the bottom, so without further ado... R &R! :P **

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_Allegiances_

 **ThunderClan**

Leader Sunstar = bright ginger tom with yellow eyes

Deputy Tawnyspots = light gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cats Goosefeather = old speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes

Featherwhisker = pale silvery tom with bright amber eyes, long whiskers, sweeping, plumy tail

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Fuzzypelt = black tom with fur that stands on end and yellow eyes

Windflight = gray tabby tom with pale green eyes

Stormtail = blue-gray tom with blue eyes

Adderfang = mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Sparrowpelt = big, dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Smallear = gray tom with very small ears and amber eyes

Thrushpelt = sandy-gray tom with white flash on his chest and green eyes

Speckletail = pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Dappletail = tortoiseshell she-cat with beautiful dappled coat

White-eye= pale gray she-cat, blind in one eye

Patchpelt = black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Leopardfoot = black she-cat with green eyes

Bluefur = gray she-cat with blue eyes; **Apprentice, Firepaw**

Thistleclaw = spiky-furred gray-and-white tom with yellow eyes; **Apprentice, Tigerpaw**

Rosetail = light ginger she-cat with pinky-orange tail

Lionheart = magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane; **Apprentice, Tinypaw**

Goldenflower = pale ginger she-cat

Apprentices (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Tigerpaw = dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

Tinypaw = very small black tom with one white paw and ice-blue eyes

Firepaw = pretty ginger she-cat

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Swiftbreeze = tabby-and-white she-cat, mother of Adderfang's kits: Redkit, Spottedkit, and Willowkit

Robinwing = small, energetic brown she-cat with ginger patch on her chest and amber eyes, mother of Fuzzypelt's kits: Frostkit and Brindlekit; nursing Whitekit

Kits (less than six moons old)

Whitekit = white tom with blue eyes

Frostkit = white she-cat with dark blue eyes

Brindlekit = dappled gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Redkit = tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail

Spottedkit = tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat

Willowkit = very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Larksong = tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes, oldest cat in ThunderClan

Weedwhisker = pale orange tom with yellow eyes

Mumblefoot = brown tom, slightly clumsy, with amber eyes

Poppydawn = long-haired, dark red she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes

Stonepelt = gray tom with a long scar over his shoulder

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 **Prologue**

Ginger was curled up fast asleep against her mother's side. All around her she could feel the warmth of her littermates as they slept. Unfortunately the time for sleeping was going to end sooner than she would've liked.

"Wake up, Ginger!"

The small orange kitten jerked awake with a gasp as something warm, fluffy, and alive landed right on top of her. She automatically leaped onto her paws, the sudden movement causing her attacker to fall off with a muffled 'oof' and 'ow'.

Looking over her shoulder, Ginger saw that her 'attacker' was in reality her jet-black brother Tiny. Her eyes glanced over to the window and saw nothing but darkness. This was all the orange kitten needed to know that it was still nighttime.

Her green eyes turned back to her littermate. "Really, Tiny?" Ginger hissed, completely annoyed that she could still be asleep if it weren't for him.

The other kitten backed up a few steps, his blue eyes scared. "I-I-I just w-wanted you to come outs-side w-with m-me to l-look at t-the s-stars," her much smaller brother stuttered without meeting her eyes, shuffling his paws.

Almost immediately Ginger felt her anger fade. Heaving a sigh, she stretched her neck forward and touched his ear with her nose. "I'm sorry," she murmured gently before leaning away and standing up. "Come on, let's go."

Together the two siblings walked out of the cat flap and out into the moonlit yard. The neatly trimmed grass shone silver, except for the dark shadows that stretched across the lawn from the wooden fence that bordered the yard. In a corner of the garden there was a tree, its branches heavy with green leaves. A light breeze sighed from the forest that stretched out from beyond the fence. In the distance an owl hooted, causing Tiny to jump in fright.

Ginger pressed against him in comfort. "It's all right," she soothed. "You're safe."

Tiny looked up at her with wide fearful eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She purred. "Yes, I'm sure. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you," the orange kitten promised him.

For a moment there was silence as they sat down and looked up at the night sky. Silvery specks could be seen dotting the black veil and the stars seemed to twinkle cheerfully down on them. Suddenly a streak of silver flashed across the sky, and Ginger knew if she had blinked she would've missed it.

"Whoa!" Tiny gasped before turning to her, his icy eyes shining with excitement. "Did you see that Ginger!"

Again the orange kitten purred and nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Where do you think it went?" he wondered, searching the night sky for the silvery trail that had blazed behind the shooting star.

"I do not know," Ginger told him before repeating, "I do not know."

 **...**

In a deserted clearing surrounded by a bramble barrier, a bright ginger tom and speckled gray tom sat alone, staring silently up at the clear night sky. They too suddenly saw the shooting star that blazed over the treetops.

The speckled gray tom gasped and the fur along his spine bristled while his tail twitched.

"What is it, Goosefeather?" the bright ginger tom questioned, yellow eyes shining like twin moons in the darkness.

"It was a message from StarClan!" Goosefeather breathed after a moment of silence, his eyes now focused on his companion. "A prophecy."

At the mention of StarClan, the younger tom had his full attention on the other. "What was the prophecy?"

Goosefeather looked away and turned his gaze back to the stars, a distant look coming into his pale blue eyes. "With the tiniest of claws, fire will save our Clan," he rasped.

"Fire?" the bright ginger tom echoed, eyes narrowing in confusion.

Goosefeather blinked and met the other tom's gaze. "Yes, Sunstar, fire. But keep it in mind that fire doesn't always mean destruction," he warned. "It can also have the power to protect and bring new growth."

Sunstar blinked before looking back at the stars. "If StarClan has spoken, than it must be so," he mewed. "With the tiniest of claws, fire will save our Clan."

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 **A/N: ...and cut! The next chapter will hopefully be longer, and if anyone has any sort of ideas that I should do such as maybe suggest a funny care-free scene in a chapter or something like that please suggest it in your review. On that note please review, ...and until next time...**

 **~SilverMoon**


	2. Into The Wild, Pt 1

**A/N: Here's the first chapter, please review :) and please no flames. Hopefully the next update will be this Friday and will have more chapters, though I 'might' update sooner! ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Darkness was all she could see. Ginger could only see the outlines of the undergrowth and trees that she knew surrounded her. The unknown forest was filled with many strange new scents. The smells that filled her nose and made her mouth water were the scents of earth, leaves, moss, and small woodland creatures.

She sensed something nearby. The young she-cat widened her green eyes, scanning the dense undergrowth. Despite her unknown surroundings, she moved deeper into the shadows. The strange scents were what drew her in and caused her to keep going. A deep gurgling rumble sounded from her stomach, and she was reminded once more of her hunger. She parted her jaws, tasting the air for something that could satisfy her needy stomach.

In her peripheral vision, Ginger saw a flash of gray race past her. The orange she-cat froze and slowly flashed her eyes in the direction it had gone, her head also still. She listened carefully. A rustling sound reached her ears and, with the utmost care, turned silently to face the direction the creature had gone. It was hiding in the leaves less than two tail-lengths away. Ginger knew it was a mouse and she wasn't going to let it get away, not this time.

"Hey, Ginger! Wake up!"

Her head snapped up from her cat bed, the forest melting away. She was never in it to begin with, it was a dream. The orange she-cat was sleeping in her soft cat bad in the kitchen of her new house folk, or she had been sleeping.

Standing in front of her was her brother and littermate, Tiny. A few days after they had seen that shooting star, some new housefolk came with their kits. Quince, her and Tiny's mother, had told them along with their other littermates that they were there to play with them and get to know them. The next day, each of them went to new housefolk. Unlike Ruby and Socks who went to different housefolk, Ginger and Tiny had got the same housefolk. This had been almost four moons ago.

"Hello, anybody home?" Tiny called, prodding her flank. His icy eyes gleamed with mischief.

Mentally shaking her head from those thoughts, Ginger focused on her smaller littermate. "What is it, Tiny?" she sighed, sitting up and began to give her fiery pelt a good wash.

The small black tom didn't even waver. "I want to go out and explore the forest again," he announced.

Ginger snapped her head up and stared. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Last time you were nearly attacked by that bird!" she reminded him.

Her brother didn't even seem fazed. "Of course I'm sure!" Tiny insisted excitedly.

She glanced up at the window, the sunlight was already beginning to fade away. "All right," Ginger finally agreed grudgingly. "But we've got to hurry, it's almost dark."

"Yes!" Tiny cheered happily before charging out the cat flap, without a backwards glance.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Ginger raced after him. For a small cat Tiny was really fast and she always had a hard time keeping up. Sometimes she wished she had his energy.

Right as she burst out of the cat flap and into the garden, Tiny was already climbing over the fence. Almost immediately Ginger put on a burst of speed and, without stopping, she clawed her way up and over the fence. Her paws landed soundlessly onto the grass beyond and there was no sign of Tiny, but she could smell him.

The young she-cat charged in the direction it went. As her brother's scent became stronger, she heard the sound of fighting. Fearing the worst, Ginger soon found herself almost flying through the forest until she burst out into a small clearing where a gray tom with patches of white and spiky fur was ruthlessly attacking her littermate. Behind him was a large gray she-cat and a young dark tabby who looked to be around Ginger's and Tiny's age.

"Thistleclaw, stop! He's only a kit!" the gray she-cat yowled shrilly. "He's no threat!"

The gray and white tom pinned her brother to the ground, blood welling scarlet along his wounds."An intruder is an intruder, Bluefur! You've always been to soft on them," he snarled at the she-cat.

Without thinking twice, Ginger streaked across the clearing and slammed into Thistleclaw with a battle cry, the tom completely unprepared for her attack. He staggered sideways, losing his footing and released Tiny from his clutches. Filled with rage that the much larger tom had hurt her brother, Ginger dug her claws deep into the gray and white cat's spiky fur and sank in her teeth. No subtle rituals of swiping and boxing preceded this fight. The two cats were locked in a screaming, writhing tussle that flipped and somersaulted around the clearing surrounded by woodland.

As Ginger scratched and struggled, she was suddenly aware that she felt no fear, only determination to protect her smaller brother. It was in that moment she realized that she would be willing to die for her brother, if it meant he would be alive and safe.

Then Ginger felt her collar tighten around her neck. Thistleclaw had gripped it between his teeth and was tugging, and tugging hard. Ginger felt a terrible pressure at her throat. Unable to breathe, she started to panic. She writhed and twisted, but each movement only made the pressure worse. Retching and gulping for air, she summoned up all her strength and tried to pull away from Thistleclaw's grip. And suddenly, with a loud snap, she was free.

Thistleclaw tumbled away from her. Ginger scrambled to her paws and looked around. Thistleclaw was crouching a few tail-lengths away. And, dangling from Thistleclaw's mouth, Ginger saw her collar, mangled and broken.

At once, Bluefur pelted past Thistleclaw and stood in front of Ginger. "That's enough!" She bared her teeth, and Ginger noticed how the older she-cat was tensed to fight. Her thundering heart twisted at the sight, but in a good way. It had been a long time since someone had helped her defend not just herself, but Tiny as well.

"Warriors don't need to kill to win a battle, remember?" Bluefur snapped, blue eyes blazing with fury at Thistleclaw.

Ginger peaked around the gray she-cat. Clumps of fur was hanging from the spiky furred tom's ruffled coat, much like her own. She could feel a cut stinging above her eye. The gray and white patched tom had a badly torn ear, blood streaming down his hard-muscled shoulders onto the forest floor.

Thistleclaw glared at Bluefur. "I was just defending our territory," he snarled.

"And you've done that," Bluefur meowed, sounding like she was trying to get the tom to see reason, before she exploded. "And if I _ever_ see you do something like that again, I'll report you to Sunstar!"

For a moment the two older cats glared at each other, before Thistleclaw turned and stalked away between the trees, his spiky pelt soon swallowed in shadow. The young dark tabby hesitated, his amber eyes uncertain, until a loud "Tigerpaw!" was heard from the direction that Thistleclaw had went and, giving an apologetic look to Bluefur, he darted off after the older tom.

Once they were gone, Bluefur turned to face Ginger and Tiny. "Are you all right?" she asked, worry shining in her piercing blue eyes as they darted from one kit to the other.

Ginger glanced over at her small brother, who had padded over to stand at her side sometime during Thistleclaw's and Bluefur's showdown. The small black tom had gashes up and down his flanks and scratches all over his muzzle, all of his wounds were still dripping blood.

"I think so," Tiny mewed shakily. "But I don't think my housefolk will want me anymore."

Her heart clenched painfully as she realized he was right. His once unmarred pelt was now covered in scratches and other wounds, most of them were deep and would most likely leave scars. No housefolk wanted kittens that looked to have something wrong with them. They might still take her as she didn't have any wounds that would leave a scar except for the scratch above her eye, but they would more than likely not take back Tiny.

"Then perhaps it will be best if you come with me," Bluefur suggested. "I'll take you to my Clan's medicine cat and he can give you something for your wounds. Maybe my leader will let you join, if he thinks you could be of use."

Tiny dipped his head in agreement before looking at Ginger. "I guess we won't be seeing each other any more," he muttered, his icy eyes filled with regret and sadness.

Ginger frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Our housefolk will take you back, but they'll never take me," her brother explained.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Did he really think she'd leave him after nearly dying to protect him from Thistleclaw? Straightening up, Ginger now narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" she demanded

Tiny looked at her in surprise. "What? No!" He shook his head. "I don't want you to leave me, but I don't want you to give up our home!"

Ginger stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious right now, Tiny?" Her green eyes blazed with fury. " _Our_ home? It won't be if you can't come back!" she snapped. "No! My home is wherever _you_ are, brother."

Her littermate's eyes widened, hope lighting them up. "Do you really mean that, Ginger?"

Purring, Ginger stepped forward and brushed her muzzle against his own, ginger and black blending together. "Of course I do, you stupid furball," she teased. "Always and forever."


	3. Into the Wild, pt 2

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! This was one of the longest chapters I've ever written, so enjoy :D and please, no flames! R &R! :P**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

By the time they reached Bluefur's home, which will hopefully be theirs as well, it was past moonhigh. The run through the forest had made them all breathless, but Ginger and Tiny were more than willing to prove themselves. They weren't going to be slowed down by their injuries that Thistleclaw had inflicted, they both promised themselves that they weren't going to give the spiky furred tom the satisfaction that he had caused them physical pain.

On the journey, Bluefur had told them some things about her Clan or ThunderClan as the gray she-cat had called it. She explained how there were three other Clans, beside hers, that lived in the forest, and they were called RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan. Bluefur then went on to explain the different roles in a Clan, such as the leader, deputy, medicine cat, warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders.

A leader obviously was in charge of the Clan and were also the ones who were given nine lives from 'StarClan', their warrior ancestors. It was the leader's job to appoint a deputy at moonhigh, no matter what, since the deputy served as second in command of a Clan and kept the Clan organized by organizing patrols for food and border patrols to defend their territory against rival Clans.

Then there were the medicine cats. They too served an important role in a Clan since they healed their injuries and illnesses, and also help the queens with having kits. A medicine cat served as a connection to StarClan as well by decoding prophecies and omens, plus every half moon all medicine cats went to a place called Highstones and speak with StarClan through dreams.

Last of all, were the elders. They were all former warriors and queens who had long since retired after giving a long service to their Clan, and had earned a chance to have peace from their duties. Bluefur had also told Ginger and Tiny that it was a great honor for any Clan cat to reach that far, and not many did since they would more likely die before they reached the age of an elder.

"We are very close to my Clan's camp now," the large gray she-cat meowed, having halted on a rock that rested on the edge of a small ravine with both Ginger and Tiny panting as they stood beside her.

Ginger peered curiously over the edge of the ravine, straining to see any signs of life in the darkness - moving leaves, a glimpse of fur moving among the bushes below, but saw nothing except for the same thick undergrowth that covered the forest floor.

"Can you smell my Clan?" Bluefur pressed, tip of tail twitching impatiently.

Ginger closed her eyes and sniffed with Tiny mimicking her actions from where he stood at her side. The smell of many cats filled her nose, each scent smelling like the last. All of the combined cat scents were much different from the ones she was used to. The air smelled stronger, speaking of many, many different cats.

She nodded thoughtfully and announced, "I can smell cats."

Bluefur purred in amusement before sobering. "Follow me," she told them. "And stay close. Anyone who is still awake will smell your kittypet scent the moment we walk in, so be quiet." The gray she-cat now leaped over the edge and led the way nimbly down the boulders to the bottom of the ravine, and pushed her way through a thick patch of gorse. Ginger stopped before it, allowing Tiny to go first before taking up the rear. As her sides scraped against the prickly gorse, Ginger looked down and saw that the grass underneath her paws was flattened into a broad, strong-smelling track. This must be the main entrance into the camp, she thought.

Beyond the gorse, a clearing opened up. The ground at the center was bare, hard earth, shaped by many generations of pawsteps. It was obvious to Ginger that this camp had been here for a long time. The clearing was dappled by moonlight, and the air was cool and still.

Ginger looked around, her eyes wide. All around she could sense sleeping cats, though she could also see a few flashing eyes peering out from the shadows. The clearing was edged with thick grass, dotted with tree stumps and a fallen tree. A thick curtain of ferns and gorse shielded the camp from the rest of the woods.

"This way," meowed Bluefur, twitching her tail for her and Tiny to follow. The blue-gray she-cat padded over to the side of a large boulder where lichen was draped over a gap cracked in the rock. Before entering, Bluefur called out, "Sunstar? Are you awake, I need to speak with you."

From behind the lichen curtain, Ginger could here movement. "Of course, Bluefur. Come in," a deep voice replied, and they slipped through the curtain. Sitting in a thick, cozy-looking nest was a large bright ginger tom, his pale creamy-yellow stripes barely noticeable, even with the faint moonlight seeping through the lichen that covered the small cave's entrance.

The bright ginger tom's yellow eyes narrowed. "Why is there two kittypets here?"

"We were patrolling near Twolegplace when we came across this kit," Bluefur began, flicking her tail in Tiny's direction, "and Thistleclaw demanded why he was on our territory. The kit didn't even have the time to answer before Thistleclaw had attacked him, brutally clawing at him with no remorse. There's no doubt in my mind that he was going to kill the kit."

Sunstar frowned. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"I tried calling him off first, but he wouldn't listen. I was just about to intervene when she," Bluefur now nodded to Ginger, "came out of no where and attacked Thistleclaw."

The ThunderClan leader now turned his gaze on her. "Why would you, another kit, attack a seasoned warrior?" he meowed, his eyes gleaming with interest.

Ginger straightened up, lifting her chin. "I wasn't about to stand by and let some arrogant flea-bag try and kill my brother," she retorted heatedly, eyes flashing with protectiveness for her smaller littermate.

Sunstar's eyes widened. "He's your brother." His mew was shocked.

Ginger nodded, not saying anything, and Bluefur took over again. "Anyway," she continued, "her attack gave us all a shock, so by the time a snapped out of it, she had already gave Thistleclaw some pretty serious wounds and he will more than likely have scars to remember her by. It was then I stepped in and it was not that long after that Thistleclaw left with Tigerpaw."

The bright ginger tom shook his head. "I never knew Thistleclaw too be so blood thirsty that he would be willing to kill an innocent kit," he sighed before looking at her and her brother. "What are you called?"

"I'm Ginger," she mewed bowing her head to the ThunderClan leader, showing him the respect that any leader deserved. "This is my brother, Tiny."

The small black single white-pawed tom bowed his head in greeting, but remained silent.

Sunstar looked both of them up and down. "Hmm. You two should have Goosefeather and Featherwhisker see to you for those scratches and bites," he meowed, his eyes kind and sympathetic. "Tomorrow I'll announce your arrival to the Clan and decide what to do with you then."

Bluefur bowed her head and nudged Ginger and Tiny out of the den. The gray she-cat now herded them over to a fern-enclosed corner. Once inside, the fern tunnel they had been herded into opened up into a small grassy clearing. A tall rock stood at one side, split down the middle by a crack wide enough for a cat to make its den inside. Lying fast asleep in a moss-laden nest outside this opening was a pale silvery tom with long whiskers and a sweeping plumy tail. At the sound of their approach, sleep-filled bright amber eyes blinked open at them.

"Bluefur?" the tom asked sleepily before parting his jaws in a yawn and sitting up, his eyes blinking in alarm when he saw Ginger's and Tiny's appearance. "What happened?"

"Thistleclaw hurt this kittypet kit," Bluefur explained, tail pointing at Tiny before turning to Ginger, "and this one got injured when she attacked Thistleclaw to stop him."

"I always knew Thistleclaw had a thirst for blood," a voice mewed from within the dark, pitch-black gloom of the den. A moment later an old speckled gray tom padded out with a bundle of leaves between his jaws, he was also limping on three paws as his left forepaw was wrapped with what looked like cobwebs.

Stopping in front of them, he gingerly set his leaves down. "Featherwhisker, I want you to take care of him," the old grizzled tom, who Ginger guessed was Goosefeather, meowed to the other younger tom. "I'll take care of her."

Goosefeather leaned closer, sniffing at Ginger, who shrank back slightly. "Oh for StarClan's sake!" he snapped. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Deciding it would be best if she didn't irritate the elderly tom, Ginger sat still, allowing him to search out her injuries before placing cobwebs on some and leaving others. "What are the cobwebs for?" she asked hesitantly, not wanting to set him off again.

Goosefeather blinked his pale blue eyes in surprise before they began to shine with amusement. "The cobwebs help stop the bleeding," he meowed.

Ginger was surprised at the curiosity that suddenly burned deep within her. She was completely intrigued as she watched the speckled tom now placing a paste on top of all of her wounds, including the ones he had covered with cobwebs. "What is that?" she meowed, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

The elderly tom's whiskers twitched, eyes twinkling. "That, little one, is marigold chewed to a paste," he explained. "It'll keep your injuries from getting infected."

"Oh." Ginger blinked as Goosefeather rubbed the last of the marigold paste onto her wounds. None of them were deep enough to scar at least, except the scratch she had gotten above her eye. That one would most definitely leave a scar.

Glancing to the side with her peripherals, Ginger saw Featherwhisker had just finished with Tiny and had scrapped together two nests - one for her and one for him. The grizzled speckled gray tom finally finished tending her wounds.

"There," Goosefeather announced. "That should do it."

Ginger dipped her head thankfully. "Thank you, Goosefeather," she mewed, meaning every word.

"Yes, thank you." Tiny nodded at the two older cats, before turning to Bluefur who had been next to the fern tunnel in silence. "And especially you, Bluefur. There's no telling where my sister and I would be if you didn't decide to take us with you so, thank you."

The gray she-cat purred and blinked warmly at the siblings. "You're welcome," she meowed before getting to her paws. "I better leave you all to get some sleep. Tomorrow is bound to be an interesting one." That said, the she-cat disappeared through the fern tunnel.

"Bluefur is right," Featherwhisker agreed. "We better get some sleep."

They all mewed in agreement and settled down for the night. As Ginger laid down in her temporary nest, she began to reflect on everything that had happened to her and Tiny thus far. She never would've guessed that when her littermate woke her up to go exploring in the forest that they would end up getting into a fight or running into some wild cats, ThunderClan cats Ginger reminded herself. Ginger hoped Sunstar would let them stay, they really didn't have anywhere to go.

It was with these thoughts in mind, and the body heat that Tiny gave off, that finally allowed Ginger to fall into a blissful sleep.


	4. New Names

**Chapter Three**

That night, she had the mouse dream again. Ginger was padding soundlessly through the thick undergrowth of her dream forest. Up ahead was the same pesky little mouse, nibbling on a seed it had found among the leaves that littered the ground. This time she wasn't going to allow it to escape.

Ginger dropped down into a crouch, belly fur brushing the ground, and took a cautious step forward. She was now almost on top of it, and-

"Hi, I'm Whitekit!"

Ginger's eyes flashed open, startled awake by the loud cheery mew. For a moment she laid there in confusion, until she saw a fluffy white tom-kit with sparkling blue eyes. The kit himself looked around her and Tiny's age, though it was possible for him to be a moon or two younger. Beside her, Ginger's littermate lifted his head sleepily. The small tom's ice-blue eyes were bleary with sleep.

"Whitekit!" a familiar voice called, and Bluefur poked her head through the fern tunnel before shouldering her way in. The gray she-cat was giving the white tom a stern look. "What did I tell you?"

Whitekit ducked his head sheepishly. "Don't disturb them and wait until they wake up," he mumbled before glancing up. "But I wanted to meet them!"

Bluefur sighed in exasperation before turning to them. "I'm sorry," the warrior apologized, "I told him not to bother you two-"

"No, no," Ginger quickly interrupted as she stood from her nest, back arching in a much needed stretch before continuing, "it's all right."

"Easy for you to say," Tiny grumbled before lowering his head back down and curling into a tight ball, falling asleep once more.

Ginger blinked in surprise. Usually her littermate was up before her, which would then cause him to go on and wake her up as well. She turned back to the two Clan cats. "Ignore him," she mewed, "he had a harder day yesterday than I did. He's usually an early riser."

The gray warrior nodded. "I'd say so," Bluefur agreed. "But unfortunately he's going to have to wake up now. Sunstar is going to be calling a meeting soon."

At that moment, Sunstar's voice could be heard from the clearing beyond. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" the leader yowled.

"Or he's going to call it now," Whitekit teased and Bluefur gave him a mock glare before turning and padding out of the small clearing.

Behind her, Ginger heard a growl of frustration. "Can't a cat get any sleep around here?" Tiny muttered, at last getting up and climbing out of his makeshift nest. Giving his pelt a shake, the small black tom padded up to her side, a piece of moss clinging to his neck fur.

Letting out a purr, she ducked down and plucked the moss from his fur with her teeth before spitting it out and soothing her tongue over the spot where it had hung. Once done, she followed Whitekit into the main clearing, with Tiny taking up the rear.

"Come sit with me," Whitekit invited them before scampering away. He led them over to a small brown she-cat with a ginger patch on her chest. Beside the queen were two she-kits around Whitekit's age, though the pair seemed to be a few moons younger. One was had a white coat, the other a dappled gray tabby. Both were obviously going to one day become lovely she-cats. Looking away from them, Ginger now looked at Sunstar as he began to speak to the Clan cats that had gathered.

"Last night, it came to my attention that one of ThunderClan's warriors had attacked a young kit near Twolegplace," the bright ginger tom announced and the Clan cats gasped, others looked horrified.

"I was only defending our territory!" Thistleclaw snapped, the spiky warrior's voice rising above the gathered crowd. "Besides, an intruder is an intruder. Being a kit is his problem, and it was a kittypet at that."

Suddenly the Clan cats parted, letting a graying dark red she-cat through. The elder's amber eyes were like flames as they glared furiously at Thistleclaw. "In all my life, I never thought I'd see the day when one of my own kits would harm a helpless kit!" she spat at him. "You are a disgrace!" The dark red elder glanced up at Sunstar. "With your permission, I would like to conduct his own punishment."

The ThunderClan leader nodded. "You have it," he meowed simply, giving the old queen what she asked.

Thistleclaw on the other paw, was not pleased. "What!" he screeched at Sunstar, clearly outraged by this turn of events. "She has no right!"

"I may be just an old bag of bones," the old she-cat hissed, "but I'm still your mother! For three moons you are to remain in camp and take care of the queens and do whatever they ask you to do. If you fail to do so, one moon will be added to your punishment."

Sunstar bowed his head in agreement. "And to add on to that, you will no longer be the mentor of Tigerpaw."

At the sound of his name, the dark tabby apprentice looked up. He didn't look to worried about losing his mentor, in fact he looked ecstatic.

"Smallear, you will be the new mentor of Tigerpaw," the ThunderClan leader announced, and a gray tom with very small ears looked up in surprise before nodding. He padded forward from the gathered cats and touched noses to the dark tabby.

Sunstar continued. "As I was saying," the bright ginger tom began, "the kit was indeed attacked by Thistleclaw. He was also saved by his own sister who put her own life on the line to protect him."

At that, many of the Clan cats began whispering in shocked voices. Obviously a situation like this hadn't been heard of, or if it had, then it was very rare. At least for someone like a kittypet. This conclusion gave Ginger a sense of pride that she had never felt before, pride that she had done something not many kittypets had the courage to do: taking a stand against someone who would make a normal house cat run for the hills.

"And I would like to reward this young cat for her pure nerve and outstanding courage," Sunstar added, his eyes meeting hers unblinkingly, before he continued, "by offering her a choice."

Ginger could feel her heart beating quickly in her chest with excitement and relief. He wasn't going to send her away! He was giving her a chance but, will he do the same to Tiny?

As if reading her mind, the ThunderClan leader meowed, "This offer also stands for her brother as well, as Bluefur had explained to me that his twolegs won't take him back because of how he now bares the scars of a wild cat."

With his words, she found her herself feeling relieved. She wasn't going to be alone after all, and neither was her brother.

"Ginger, Tiny, come forward," Sunstar called.

Excitement burned in her paws, as Ginger padded forward with Tiny close at her side. This was it! They were going to have a new home, a new life. She felt like she could barely hold in her excitement now that she and her littermate stood at the foot of the large boulder that Sunstar addressed the Clan from.

"Ginger, Tiny," he meowed, looking down at them with shining eyes, "do you wish to join ThunderClan?"

She stood there and looked Sunstar in the eye as she meowed in a clear voice that traveled throughout the clearing, "Yes."

"Yes," Tiny echoed.

"Then from this day forward until you earn your warrior names, you Ginger will be known as Firepaw, and you Tiny will be known as Tinypaw," Sunstar announced. "Bluefur!" The gray she-cat looked up in surprise. "You are ready for your first apprentice, you will mentor Firepaw. As being my former apprentice, I know you will pass on all that I, and your first mentor Stonepelt, have taught you onto her."

Bluefur dipped her head in agreement and made her way over to Firepaw, who stood up and met her mentor half way. The warrior leaning down to touch her nose to Firepaw's like Smallear had done with Tigerpaw earlier.

"Lionheart," Sunstar called, and a magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur around his neck like a lion's mane looked up. "You too are ready for your first apprentice. Swiftbreeze was your mentor and I hope you pass on everything she taught you onto young Tinypaw."

"I won't let you down, Sunstar," Lionheart promised, and stepped forward, touching his nose with the small black tom.

Firepaw felt excitement still burning in her paws. She was an apprentice!

* * *

 **A/N: Yay, they're apprentices! Wonder what's next... :D**


	5. Bad Day & Ruby?

**A/N: My longest chapter yet! And one of the funnest to write... :P**

 **Please, please R &R!**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

It was early morning and right now Firepaw was having a very bad day. It had been four moons since she and Tinypaw had started their training, and she couldn't be more happy of her life in ThunderClan. Not even Thistleclaw's constant taunts could make her any less than happy for being where she was now.

Her training with Bluefur was going well, and without a hitch. The gray she-cat was a good and patient teacher, and even a better friend and ally. Firepaw was glad to have Bluefur as her mentor, and already proved to be a pretty good hunter and a descent fighter. At one point Sunstar himself ended up taking over her training, as Bluefur had been injured in a skirmish at Sunningrocks, and had said to Firepaw that he'd never seen any cat learn so quickly. When he'd told her that, Firepaw felt like she'd just accomplished something almost impossible. After all, how easy is it really to get praised by one's leader as an apprentice?

Right now, however, she felt like a kit. She had gotten herself literally stuck in a patch of brambles, thorns digging deep into her pelt, and Firepaw couldn't get herself free. Suddenly she heard a twig snap and immediately opened her mouth to taste the air. Firepaw hadn't been more relieved in her life when she recognized the scent.

"Lionheart?" she called, or rather yowled, as she had in fact moved into a different position and felt the brambles dig into her flanks sharply, making her hiss out in pain.

It was only moments later when the magnificent golden tabby appeared, exploding from a wall of ferns, his yellow eyes burning through the early dawn light. He skidded to a halt in front of her, pelt bristling, and looked around wildly. The moment Lionheart realized that there was no danger, his fur began to flatten, and he relaxed his battle-ready muscles. Now calm, the golden tabby turned and stared at her in amazement. "How did you get in there?" he asked, dumbfounded, his eyes wide.

"I was hunting and nearly caught a mouse, which ran into this bramble thicket and I was running too fast to stop and...well, you can see for yourself," Firepaw muttered, trying to wiggle her way out, but only let out another hiss of pain as the thorns dug in even more impossibly deeper into her skin.

"Hold still and let me see if I can do anything," Lionheart replied gently and walked forward to see how badly she was tangled.

Then with his claws unsheathed, he started slicing away at the brambles, making sure he didn't get too close to her. Finally most of the brambles had been clawed away from her, and she struggled to get free once more. It didn't work.

"It's not working," Firepaw grunted, speaking her thoughts, as she tried to claw her way forward with no success.

"All right, don't move," Lionheart meowed, receiving a heated glare.

"It's not like I have a choice," she snapped angrily, but complied. The magnificent golden tabby then grabbed a hold of her scruff in his strong jaws before jerking back sharply with all his might, causing the two of them to crash backwards.

Firepaw quickly rolled away from him and stood up slowly, wincing. Turning her head to look back at the brambles, she found that large clumps of her orange fur were still stuck to the thorns where she had been. Now looking down at herself, Firepaw saw that she was covered in thorns and mud, her pelt in a complete disaster.

"It's going to take me moons to get all of these thorns out," she groaned, before a loud cough reached her ears. It was soon followed by another, and another, until it turned into a full blown laughing fit. Whipping around, Firepaw saw her brother's mentor rolling on his back laughing.

Anger and embarrassment, and even shame, flowed through her. It was like something had set her pelt on fire. "It's not funny!" she shouted, which only made him laugh harder, and with a loud caterwaul, Firepaw launched herself at him. The moment her body slammed into his, caused Lionheart to let out a yowl of surprise as she tackled him to the ground.

Firepaw pinned the golden warrior by the shoulders, ignoring the shooting pain flowing through her body, even though she winced. She glared down at Lionheart, her green eyes blazing with fiery.

"Sorry," he choked out, trying to stifle his laughter. "You just look like a hedgehog."

She glowered at him even more fiercely, her eyes flashing. "And it's rude to laugh when I am obviously in agony," Firepaw spat and leaped off the golden tabby, wincing once more.

Firepaw was in so much agony that she couldn't stop herself from hunching over in pain as the young warrior stood up on his paws. Looking at her, his yellow eyes became warm and gentle. "Come on," he meowed. "Let's get you back to camp."

She nodded, but could barely walk so Lionheart ended up grabbing her by the scruff once more and carried her back to camp. Firepaw winced when some of the spikes from the gorse tunnel tugged at the fur she still had. Finally, Lionheart carried her into camp.

Firepaw's eyes looked around and she caught sight of Poppydawn, who had taken on the job of being her and Tinypaw's second mother since they arrived. The elderly, dark red she-cat looked up and was immediately on her paws and raced across the clearing toward her and Lionheart.

"Firepaw! Your beautiful coat! What happened?" the dark red she-cat yowled shrilly and once again Firepaw winced; only this time it was from the elder's shrill voice.

Both Featherwhisker and Goosefeather, on hearing Poppydawn's stressed call, had raced out of the medicine den and trotted over to them. Lionheart sat her down as carefully as possible, even though she still winced and groaned in pain. The golden tabby warrior quickly explained what had happened to the elder and medicine cats, while the two medicine cats sniffed at her pelt.

"Let's get her to the medicine den," Featherwhisker meowed.

Lionheart once again picked her up and carried over to the medicine den. Once inside he sat her down gently in an already made nest and took a few steps back as the medicine cats quickly reappeared from their den and walked over with a few bundles of herbs. Suddenly Sunstar appeared and called Lionheart away for a patrol.

"Will she be okay?" the golden warrior asked Featherwhisker.

"She will. She just needs some rest after we get those thorns and brambles out," the pale silvery medicine cat apprentice replied and Firepaw immediately groaned.

Lionheart nodded before looking down at her briefly, then he charged off out of the medicine clearing.

...

It was after sunhigh and Firepaw was still in a lot of pain, even though the thorns and brambles had been removed. Her pelt was now patchy and thin in some areas since she had left a great deal of her fur in that bramble thicket, from now on Firepaw decided to stay clear of any bramble thickets that stood in her way. Meanwhile, she had tried to groom herself and managed to remove any thorns that had been missed. Plus earlier, after, removing those thorns, Featherwhisker had given her some poppy seeds to help with the pain and also help her sleep. Now she felt refreshed, but still sore.

Suddenly she heard a steady jeering starting to be picked up, and quickly exited the medicine den just a few moments after both medicine cats who were walking towards a familiar, young light gray she-cat. Only the familiar sweet scent that she associated with someone had made Tinypaw's life a living hell confirmed her suspicions. It was Ruby. Her and Tinypaw's only sister.

Firepaw watched silently as Featherwhisker and Goosefeather walked forward through the crowd which parted to let the medicine cats through.

Ruby glared at them mistrustfully and hissed. "Stay away from me!"

She watched silently as the two medicine cats said nothing but backed away and nodded respectfully. Firepaw didn't blame her sister for not trusting any of the Clan cats and decided to stay in the shade of the fern tunnel that led to the medicine clearing to watch how everything played out.

The returning warriors suddenly each took some food from the fresh-kill pile and brought it over to the nettle patch to eat. Then the rest of her Clanmates stepped forward to take their own share. Firepaw eyed the fresh-kill greedily, but decided against it.

She turned her head then and saw Tinypaw, who was pacing around the clearing looking hungry. Firepaw watched him as he watched as the Clan cats crouched in their usual groups, chewing and gulping. That's when she guessed that he must have broken the warrior code.

Still watching him, Firepaw saw him pause beside the Highrock where Sunstar was sharing words with Lionheart. Her heart dropped at the sight, was her brother going to be sent away?

Shaking her head at the thought, Firepaw sighed and crouched down. Her eyes were now watching Tigerpaw as he walked forward towards the fresh-kill pile and took his share. He seemed to realize that someone was watching him, since he looked up in her direction with the fresh-kill in his mouth. She saw his eyes widen slightly before walking towards her and dropping the thrush at her paws.

"Take it," the dark tabby apprentice meowed, looking deeply into her eyes.

She stood there for a moment and looked down at the fresh-kill longingly but shook her head stubbornly. "No, Tigerpaw. I can't. I didn't even bring prey back for the Clan,"Firepaw snapped.

The bigger apprentice rolled his eyes. "Forget about it," he replied. "It's not like you're breaking the warrior code. Besides," Tigerpaw purred, pushing the fresh-kill closer, "you were injured. You need to keep your strength up."

Finally, Firepaw gave in and crouched down to eat, she still winced at moving into that position but, ignoring the pain, she took a bite. She looked over Tigerpaw's shoulder then and saw Tinypaw sneaking over to the fresh-kill pile to grab a mouse.

"Not for you," Adderfang, a seasoned mottled brown tabby warrior, growled as he strode up behind the small black apprentice and pawed the mouse away. "You didn't bring back any prey. The elders will eat your share. Take it to them."

Tinypaw looked over at Sunstar, who nodded shortly at him. "Do as he says."

For a moment, Firepaw watched her littermate do as he was told before heaving a sigh and turned back to her own fresh-kill. Tigerpaw, who had left during the whole ideal, now returned with his own fresh-kill and the two ate in companionable silence.

Sunstar's call sounded across the clearing. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join together for a meeting of our Clan."

Glancing up in the ThunderClan leader's direction, Firepaw stood up. Before she had been grooming herself, having just finished her meal, even though she winced every time she tried to groom a tender spot. Firepaw now slowly heaved herself to her paws, and wobbled slightly. Because of this, she trotted over to the Highrock slowly with Tigerpaw right beside her, ready to help if need be.

"I'm sure you've all heard of the hostile kittypet we brought back with us today," Sunstar began, "and from what Tinypaw has told me, she was his and Firepaw's littermate."

Beside her, Firepaw could feel Tigerpaw glancing at her curiously. She could feel the heat of his gaze burning into her pelt, but chose to ignore it as Sunstar went on.

"Her name is Ruby," the ThunderClan leader announced, "and for the time being she'll be staying with us as she was found injured-" the bright ginger tom glared toward the back of the crowd, and Firepaw looked over her shoulder to see it was Thistleclaw. The spiky warrior didn't even deny it, in fact he looked smug. "-by the border we have with Twolegplace. Tinypaw, as punishment for breaking the warrior code for feeding your kittypet when you should've been feeding your own Clan, it will be your responsibility to care for Ruby. You will hunt for her and tend to her wounds. You will fetch fresh bedding and clear away her dirt."

"Yes, Sunstar," mewed Tinypaw, bowing his head in submission.

The ThunderClan leader nodded before he went on with the meeting. "Thistleclaw, I know you were the one to attack Ruby," he meowed, "and I am deeply disappointed in you. So, from this moment on until I say otherwise, you will go back to the punishment Poppydawn had given you."

Thistleclaw spat in outrage at this, but didn't argue. "On that note, I declare this meeting over." With that, Sunstar jumped down from the Highrock and marched toward his den.

Firepaw looked up at Tigerpaw then and meowed a fair well and quickly made her way to the medicine den. From the corner of her eye she saw Tawnyspots, the ThunderClan deputy, had followed Sunstar and Tigerpaw was looking after her for a moment before following after Smallear as his mentor called for him.

Firepaw soon curled up in her nest in the medicine clearing and felt exhausted and sore from her earlier little adventure. It wasn't long before she dozed off, for a few minutes anyway.


	6. The Attack of The Brambles, pt 2

**Chapter 5**

It was a few minutes after Firepaw dozed off when she smelled a familiar scent and opened up her eyes and lifted her head slightly to see Tinypaw trotting through the fern tunnel. She slowly got to her feet and yawned before hopping out of her nest and walking over to her brother, who was talking to Featherwhisker, there was no telling where Goosefeather had ran off too.

"The medicine store's got most of those," the medicine cat apprentice was saying. "I'll fetch some marigold leaves too. If she dresses her wound with that, it will keep off any infection. Wait here."

"Thanks," Tinypaw mewed, as the young pale silvery tom slid past Firepaw with a greeting and disappeared into Goosefeather's den.

"Hi, Tinypaw," she murmured quietly and he looked up.

"Hi, Firepaw," he meowed then hesitantly asked, "what happened to you?"

She couldn't help but let out a huff. "I messed with the wrong bramble thicket while hunting for a mouse. That's what happened," Firepaw muttered good naturedly and Featherwhisker emerged once again from the gloom and dropped a bundle folded in leaves by Tinypaw's feet.

"Tell Ruby to go easy on the poppy seeds. I don't want her to deaden the pain entirely. A little pain can be useful, as it will help us judge how well she is healing."

Tinypaw nodded and picked up the herbs with his teeth. "Thanks, Featherwhisker!" he mewed through the mouthful of leaves, then headed back out the fern tunnel and into the main clearing.

* * *

The sun had risen three times since Ruby had entered the camp and that Firepaw had gotten stuck in that bramble thicket. She herself had been in a very bad mood ever since and was still sore. The young apprentice had woken quite early today and was grooming her now patchy coat. She couldn't help but wince every time her tongue rasped over a particularly patchy tender spot. Firepaw, now satisfied that her pelt was as neatly groomed as she could get it, stood up and slid out of the fern tunnel.

The morning was warm as she looked up at the deep blue sky. Today, however, there was heavy dew on the fern fronds and it sparkled on the grass like stars. Firepaw knew that Greenleaf was drawing to a close, and soon the air would start to become cooler and the days would become shorter.

She turned her head then and saw her brother, Tinypaw, pad out of the apprentice den and sniff the air before lying down and rolling in the earth beside the tree stump. She watched as he stretched out his legs and tipped his head back to rub it on the cool ground. After a moment, he flipped over and looked in the direction of where Ruby was sleeping, no doubt looking to see if their sister was awake.

Firepaw shook her head and winced as a stab of pain rushed through her. She turned her head then and caught sight of the other apprentices trotting out of the apprentice den with Brindlepaw emerging last, giving the morning air a sniff before walking out into the open completely.

She and her sister, Frostpaw, had been named apprentices a half moon ago. The duo were definitely welcomed into the den with open paws along with Whitepaw, formerly Whitekit, who became an apprentice about a moon and a half after she and Tinypaw had arrived. The white tom was as cheery as ever and seemed to always be filled with energy, where he ever got his energy Firepaw would never know.

Suddenly Thistleclaw emerged from the warriors' den and began his usual taunts and insults towards the small black-furred apprentice. All she did was sigh and sat a few tail-lengths away from them as the spiky-furred warrior mewed rudely, "Perhaps she thinks a kittypet is better off staying in camp, tending to the sick." Tossing his sleek gray head and throwing Tinypaw a scornful look.

"And what's wrong with a kittypet staying in camp tending to the sick, Thistleclaw, pray tell," Firepaw meowed catching the tom's attention, who sneered and stalked away without another word.

"What are you all doing today?" Frostpaw asked, breaking the tension from Thistleclaw's taunts.

"Smallear's taking me for battle training," Tigerpaw meowed quickly, popping his head out of the apprentices' den before shouldering the rest of the way out. The early morning light outlining his big, broad frame.

"Stormtail's taking me to the Great Sycamore," mewed Brindlepaw, "to practice my climbing. I best go. He'll be waiting."

"I'll come with you to the top of the ravine," Tinypaw decided. "I have to catch breakfast for Ruby. Coming Whitepaw? Patchpelt must have something planned for you."

Then her brother turned to her, "What about you Firepaw? Can you come?"

She couldn't help but purr at her brother's hopefulness. "Of course I'm coming you crazy furball. Besides, Bluefur always has me hunt for the Clan before we do other training," she meowed.

Firepaw happily followed the other apprentices out of camp. The only thing she hoped for is that she didn't run into any bramble thickets. She didn't think her pelt could take any more abuse.

 **...**

Unfortunately for Firepaw, she spoke too soon.

She was, at the moment, hissing in fury as she tried to claw herself out of yet another bramble thicket. She couldn't believe how she quite literally walked straight into it without noticing it in the first place. Firepaw was started to wonder if Sunstar should have called her Bramblepelt. As she struggled the thorns started to dig deeper into what was left of her pelt from the last time and ended up letting out a screech of complete agony.

Suddenly she heard the loud crashing and thumping of something coming closer, and fast. Firepaw immediately started to whip from side to side trying to struggle her way out. Then out of nowhere she heard a loud battle cry and just as a dog appeared, Lionheart came flying out of the undergrowth and flung himself on the dog.

She watched with wide, shocked green eyes as the golden tabby warrior slashed at the dog's muzzle. Blood splattered onto the grass and yelping, the dog turned and fled into the undergrowth from the direction it came from.

Firepaw couldn't help but try to haul herself out of the brambles, but they just simply dug in even deeper. Lionheart now turned towards her then and his yellow eyes widened in disbelief.

"Before you say anything, yes I got caught in another bramble thicket. Only this time, I actually stumbled into it by accident," she muttered and felt her pelt heat up with embarrassment.

Lionheart purred with amusement and walked forward, "You really need to be more careful of where you're going, Firepaw," he replied before grabbing her neck fur and giving her a sharp tug before they ended up flying backwards.

Firepaw landed right on top Lionheart who let out a muffled, "Oomph!" and she quickly scrambled off him. The golden tabby sat up and looked at her, worry shining in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he demanded and stood up to sniff her pelt.

"I'm fine, Lionheart," she rasped and looked at her pelt to find it not only covered in mud but also in thorns. "Not again!" Firepaw groaned, before sitting down and starting to pull out thorns along with clumps of fur.

"Here let me do it," Lionheart replied gently before sitting beside her and gently tugging out thorns with his teeth.

Firepaw sat there quietly as the warrior tugged out the thorns tangled in her pelt. She still couldn't believe how mouse-brained she was for walking into another bramble thicket. Finally, Lionheart managed to tug out the last of the thorns.

"There that's all I could see," he meowed looking over her pelt carefully.

"Thanks," she muttered before standing up and gasped out in pain.

"What is it?" Lionheart demanded immediately looking at her worriedly.

"I'm fine," Firepaw insisted, panting, "just sore."

"Let me carry you back to camp," he meowed gently and carefully picked her up by her scruff, again.

After some time they finally came to the top of the ravine before she told him to put her down and said she could walk the rest of the way. The golden warrior had nodded and meowed a farewell and said something about returning to his patrol and disappeared. Slowly she started to climb down the ravine and finally came to the bottom and walked through the gorse tunnel into the camp.

As Firepaw entered, she looked over at Sparrowpelt, Patchpelt, Dappletail and Whitepaw for they were waiting at the camp entrance. Their eyes had been fixed on the gorse tunnel but when she appeared they were staring at her in amazement.

"Firepaw what happened," Patchpelt meowed and looked at her in alarm.

"Don't worry, Patchpelt, I'm not hurt physically," she murmured before adding, "except my pride…or what's left of it from last time."

"You got stuck in a bramble thicket again, Firepaw?" Sparrowpelt asked in amazement and she nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah. I wasn't looking where I was going and ended up walking into it," she muttered and looked at her paws in shame.

"Try looking up every once in a while, Firepaw," Whitepaw replied his eyes glinting in amusement.

She couldn't help but glare at him and before starting to limp heavily over to the medicine den, muttering under her breath. It was then Firepaw heard a meow of amusement and looked up and turned in the direction it came from. She now found herself looking at Ruby whose eyes were glowing with the old humor she used to show her.

"If it helps, Firepaw, Dad did the same thing too," her sister reminded her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Thanks, Ruby," she replied and gave the light gray she-cat a grateful look before pushing her way into the medicine den to see Tinypaw walking out with a thin strip of bark clamped between his teeth with a piece of moss stinking of mouse bile at the end of it. He nodded towards Firepaw before brushing past her.

She now looked up at Goosefeather who was staring at her even more patchy mud-stained fur. "Let me guess," the old medicine cat began, "you got stuck in a bramble patch again."

Firepaw nodded glumly, "Yeah, but Lionheart was there again and got the thorns out this time," she meowed.

The elderly tom nodded and disappeared into his den before reappearing with some sort of leaves, that he later told her were called dock leaves, clamped in his jaws and started to chew the leaves and lap the juice into her fresh scratches. Firepaw couldn't help but wince as it stung, but also managed to soothe the scratches. Finally after tending to her wounds, Goosefeather gave her some poppy seeds for the pain. Now she was curled up in her nest in the apprentices' den and managed to fall asleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Aah, poor Firepaw. Those big bad brambles :P**

 **If anyone has any other funny adventures that you'd think Firepaw should have please fill out the form below.**

 **...**

 **Plot:**

 **Featured Cats:**

 **Outcome:**

 **Other: (optional)**

 **...**

 **Example = Plot: Firepaw gets stuck in brambles through her own stupidity.**

 **Featured Cats: Firepaw, Lionheart, Poppydawn, Featherwhisker, Goosefeather**

 **Outcome: Firepaw is found by Lionheart and gets carried back to camp where they meet a frantic Poppydawn before both medicine cats intervene and bring her to their den for treatment.**


	7. Poisoned

**Chapter Six**

By the time Firepaw woke up, it was almost sundown. Having had a fitful nap after having that run in with another bramble thicket, she had decided it would be a good idea to eat something. After all, she hadn't eaten all day.

It was with a rumbling belly that found Firepaw at the fresh-kill pile. Eyes searching for a moment to find something appetizing before they landed on a plump, juicy mouse. Plucking it from the pile, she padded over to her favorite spot, which was a few tail-lengths from the apprentices' den and deep in the shadows. She now started to eat her meal hungrily in silence until she heard a loud yowl from the other side of the clearing. She recognized it to be coming from Ruby.

Firepaw looked over at the tree stump and saw Tinypaw and Whitepaw arguing. After a few moments her brother sat down looking relieved as he watched their friend trot away to the pile of fresh-kill.

She watched in disbelief as the white apprentice, as if he were carrying out orders, confidently pick out two of the juiciest looking mice. Quickly, he started to pad across the clearing toward Ruby.

"Stop, Whitepaw!" A loud growl rumbled from the entrance to the warriors' den. Thistleclaw strode out and stalked over to Whitepaw, who was also his son and only kit. "Where are you taking those mice?" he demanded.

Firepaw felt uneasy and a little queasy and barely managed to hold back her meal as she watched from the shadows.

"Umm…" Whitepaw dropped the mice and shuffled his paws uncomfortably, clearly he didn't want to upset his father.

"Not helping young Tinypaw by feeding that greedy kittypet over there, are you?"

She remained watching as the young apprentice studied his paws for a moment. Finally he replied, "I, er, I was just feeling hungry. I was going to take them off and eat them by myself. If I let that pair get a look in," - he glanced at Tinypaw and Tigerpaw - "they'll leave me with nothing but bones and fur."

"Oh, really?" mewed Thistleclaw. "Well, if you're so hungry you might as well as eat them here and now!"

"But-" Whitepaw began, looking up at the spiky-furred warrior in alarm.

"Now!" growled Thistleclaw.

Whitepaw bent his head quickly and began to eat the mice. He demolished the first one in a couple of bites and swallowed quickly. The second mouse took longer to eat. Firepaw felt herself become even queasier and felt her stomach throb and clench tightly and barely managed to swallow her mouse back, as she watched Whitepaw eventually gave a final, difficult gulp and the last bit of mouse disappeared.

"Better, now?" asked Thistleclaw, his voice smooth with mock sympathy.

"Much, thank you father," replied Whitepaw, obviously stifling a burp.

"Good." Thistleclaw stalked off again, in the direction of his den. On the way, he passed Poppydawn who noticed her watching from the shadows and started to walk over to her.

"Are you alright?" the elderly dark red she-cat demanded in alarm.

Firepaw looked up at the elder; her eyes filled with pain as she whipped away from Poppydawn and felt her stomach give a sharp uncomfortable lurch. She struggled, but found she no longer could hold back and her whole body started to jerk as her stomach gave a large heave as she vomited. Her eyes widening in alarm, but found her stomach heaving uncontrollably as she started to vomit the rest of her meal. Surprisingly her stomach kept on heaving and Firepaw vomited some more before collapsing onto her side gasping for air.

She felt even more sharp jabs of pain in her stomach. It was almost like it was being gripped by vicious jaws. She was shocked when the pain in her belly hardened, making her writhe. Jerking, Firepaw vomited once again before collapsing. Her mouth felt dry and parched. She felt so thirsty!

"Featherwhisker!" Poppydawn yowled, her voice laced with panic.

A few moments later, the medicine cat apprentice appeared in her blurred vision. "Bring her to the medicine den. Now!" he ordered.

Firepaw managed to stumble to her paws then and ended up leaning heavily against Poppydawn as she helped Firepaw into the den and into a nest, where she collapsed heavily.

"Water," she moaned.

"Tigerpaw go soak some moss with water for her to drink," Featherwhisker commanded.

For a moment her thoughts cleared enough for her to think, Tigerpaw? He was here? Before she was lost to pain once more.

Firepaw felt weak and small as she laid there. A few moments later, the older apprentice returned and laid some wet moss near her muzzle. She lifted her head and lapped at the water desperately, but as soon as the water hit her belly, another painful spasm seized her. She vomited again, unable to stop herself. But the tormenting thirst was still there, as if all the water in the world would not quench the fire inside her. Terrified, Firepaw crouched in the nest and sank her claws into the moss lining it. StarClan, help me! She let out a long desperate moan.

"Firepaw, eat these," Featherwhisker ordered as he dropped some ragged-edged crinkled leaves at her paws.

"What is it?" she rasped and felt another sharp pain in her belly.

"Parsley," the medicine cat apprentice replied and nudged the herb closer, "it cures bellyache."

Firepaw nodded weakly and lapped up the leaves. She struggled to keep them down, but ended up throwing the leaves back up. She was shocked when her stomach gave another heave and she vomited again before collapsing. Firepaw was now too weak to move. Her body twitched, helpless with pain; she now had no power to resist the spasms. Vomit dribbled from her mouth, jerked up by another convulsion.

She no longer had the strength to feel scared. Her eyes flicked around searching for someone familiar through the painful haze. She coughed up phlegm, her belly now empty. Suddenly, she felt someone lick the fur between her ears soothingly. She blinked and finally, for a moment, she could see clearly through the pain.

"Tigerpaw?" she rasped, barely getting the name out.

He gently hushed her, amber eyes becoming soft and gentle and something else she couldn't identify. He then looked up. "Will she be okay, Featherwhisker?" he asked his voice hesitant.

"I dont know, Tigerpaw, but she's young and strong. There's a possibility of her surviving, but there's also a strong possibility of her dying as well. That possibility is even stronger since she is unable to keep the herbs down. We'll have to wait and let StarClan decide," the medicine cat apprentice meowed, his voice filled with defeat.

The dark tabby nodded then and looked back down at her. Firepaw stared back, her eyes glazed with pain as another spasm jerked her body. Tigerpaw then looked over at the pale silvery tom once more.

"Will it be alright if I stay with her tonight?" he meowed nervously and the medicine cat apprentice nodded before disappearing again.

The dark tabby now carefully climbed into her nest and wrapped his body around her gently as he tried to soothe her by rasping his tongue over her patchy fur. A weak grateful purr managed its way through her throat before being cut off by a moan of pain as another convulsion overcame her body. Her body now twitched and Firepaw felt the last of her strength leave her. Pain twisted her belly tighter and tighter until she was blind to everything but agony.

* * *

 **A/N: Ooh, cliffhanger. What's going to happen I wonder? Also before I forget, there is a poll on my profile. It's so you can vote who Firepaw's warrior name should be. I will be keeping the poll up until the chapter I make Firepaw and Tinypaw warriors. So please vote.**

 **~SilverMoon2015**


	8. Meeting Thunder & Overprotective Mentors

**A/N: Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been posting for this story...I've been losing interest in this story and I've also been dealing with a serious case of writers block! First of all to anyone who's read my other story "Into the Forest and Into the Wild" you'd see that I have been using some of those chapters in this story, and that was because at the time I didn't know if I was going to post it and thought those chapters would work great for this story, so please don't give me anymore flames on that! Anywho, if anyone else would like to beta for this story is happy too! Without further ado...**

 **Enjoy,**

 **~Silver**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

Firepaw reopened her eyes, confused. She was no longer in the medicine den, but in a clearing filled with starlight. No moon shone in the silver-dotted night-black sky. All around the clearing were trees. What stood out to her the most though were the four massive oaks that stood intimidatingly in each of the clearing's corners. Jutting out like a broken tooth from its center was a large chipped boulder.

With a jolt of realization, Firepaw recognized Fourtrees. She never saw it at night before as the young apprentice hadn't gone to a Gathering as of yet. The clearing definitely looked different from what it looked like in the day. Lionheart had tried to describe it to her once, but his description didn't do it any justice. No words could describe how beautiful Fourtrees looked at night.

Slowly rising to he paws, the pretty ginger she-cat realized something else. She was no longer in any pain. Actually, Firepaw felt completely at peace. Never had the ginger apprentice felt such tranquility.

The sound of approaching pawsteps snapped her out of her trance. Parting her jaws, Firepaw allowed the scents of the surrounding shadowy forest pass over the scent glands at the roof of her mouth. The scent wasn't of anyone Firepaw knew, but it held the familiar scent of ThunderClan.

Bushes on the top of the slope that led up into ThunderClan territory rustled, and a tom appeared. He was large in size with a fiery orange pelt, the color of autum leaves, and big white paws. His amber eyes burned like fire as they gleamed in the faint silvery light shining from Silverpelt.

As the intimidating-looking tom trotted down the slope, Firepaw got a closer look at him. His fiery pelt held the frosty glitter of stars and with every step the tom took, his hefty paws left a faint trail of starlight in their wake.

The starlit tom stopped a tail-length away, his eyes reflecting starlight. "Greetings, young Firepaw," he rumbled in a deep, majestic voice with a dip of his sleek, neatly-shaped head in greeting.

The flame-colored apprentice felt her heart jump in surprise, green eyes wide. "Who are you?" Firepaw breathed, head tilting.

"Before I walked among the stars, I was called Thunder," the fiery tom replied. "But you'll know me as Thunderstar."

Firepaw's eyes widened in amazement. This was ThunderClan's first leader when the Clans first formed! But, why was he here talking to her and not the medicine cats. Almost as if he were reading her mind, Thunderstar meowed, "Do not think so lowly of yourself, Firepaw. StarClan thinks highly of all the cats in the Clans. No matter if they are big or small, young or old, leader or medicine cat."

The young, former kittypet suddenly felt her curiosity get the best of her. "Why would someone of StarClan, let alone the first leader of ThunderClan, want to speak with me?" she questioned. "I'm only an apprentice, and a former kittypet."

Thunderstar gave her a sympathetic look. "In my time, it didn't matter if you were once kittypet, a rogue, or a loner," he meowed, " and StarClan is no different. It's what lies in your heart that matters, not what you had once been."

As this knowledge clicked in her brain, Firepaw felt relieved. She never realized how much she had worried about what she had once been until this moment. It meant a lot to know that StarClan saw past her former kittypet persona and to the Clan cat beyond. Suddenly a thought came to her.

"Am I dead?" Firepaw burst out, eyes wide as she recounted the last thing she remembered.

The first ThunderClan leader let out a meow of amusement. "No, young one," Thunderstar assured her. "Although you are in a in-between phase at the present moment. You ate a poisoned mouse and right now you're in the medicine den getting treated."

Firepaw's heart seemed to jump in her throat. "Will I ever wake up?"

"Of course!" Thunderstar exclaimed.

The flame-colored she-cat frowned, "But you jus-"

"You're here," the mighty tom interrupted, "to allow your body to rest. You'll wake up once the poison is out of your system. In the mean time, I believe you are ready to know this..." Firepaw pricked her ears and straightened up to attention, eyes alert and locked on the oldest ThunderClan leader. "...'With the tiniest claws, fire will save our Clan'."

Before she could question Thunderstar on what that was supposed to mean, she woke up with a start when she felt someone shift slightly before relaxing again. She felt surprisingly warm and comfortable. She forced her eyes open. They were sticky with sleep and she had to blink to clear the fuzziness from her vision. Slowly lifting her head and turning it, she saw Tigerpaw fast asleep. His breathing deep and even.

Firepaw then pushed herself to her paws. Her belly felt crushed and slightly cramped, but the jerking agony had gone thankfully and she didn't feel sick or thirsty anymore.

She unsteadily climbed out of her nest and, feeling very shaky, sat down with a soft thump. Behind her, Firepaw heard Tigerpaw shift slightly before hearing a startled, almost panicked gasp, which was then followed by a sigh of relief. A moment later, she felt fur brushing up against her own.

"I thought you'd never wake up again," Tigerpaw meowed softly.

Firepaw looked up and met his gaze with her own. "So did I," she admitted before looking down at her paws.

"How are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly.

"A little shaky and weak, but besides that I don't feel sick or thirsty anymore," she mewed looking back at him once more.

"That's good," he murmured before adding, "Goosefeather and Featherwhisker think you ate a poisoned mouse."

Firepaw frowned, remembering Thunderstar telling her the same thing, and stared at Tigerpaw, "It tasted fine," she replied, shrugging.

"Well it was either that or you secretly ate crow-food," he meowed.

"I'd never eat crow-food," she objected immediately, her stomach churning at the thought of even doing so, and leaped to her feet. She teetered slightly on her paws.

"Alright," he murmured gently, "I believe you."

Firepaw relaxed slightly before turning and started to limp across the medicine clearing towards the fern tunnel.

"Where are you going?" Tigerpaw demanded as he caught up with her.

"I'm going to the dirtplace," she mewed before brushing through the fern tunnel and into the camp with the dark tabby hard on her paws.

 **...**

A couple of days had passed since then, and Firepaw was bored out of her mind and it was all thanks to Poppydawn and Bluefur. When she asked if she could go back to training, both of them refused and explained that she needed her strength back. When Firepaw went to the medicine cats for a second opinion, they agreed that she needed her strength back first as the poisoned mouse took a lot out of her.

So for the following days after eating that bad mouse, Firepaw had been doing small tasks all around camp. These included cleaning out the elders' den and checking the elders for ticks as well as helping the medicine cats with sorting out herbs and helping them apply the said herbs to anyone who, in general, was being idiotic and got hurt. Firepaw had to admit to herself that it wasn't all bad. The only thing she kept in mind and reminded herself on occasion was that she was helping and being useful, and it wasn't like she was doing anything either. Unfortunately after a few days, she was becoming bored with it all and became in desperate need to go back to her own training.

Firepaw was exiting the medicine den to visit the elders, and maybe get a story out of Poppydawn, when Whitepaw walked up to her.

"Hey, Firepaw!" the white apprentice meowed enthusiastically, blue eyes shining in the like stars in the faint mid-morning light.

"Hello, Whitepaw," she greeted back, stopping to allow him to catch up. The young white tom was always good at making her laugh. He was also one of the reasons Firepaw hadn't gone crazy with the lack of warrior training.

The younger apprentice almost seemed to be jumping off the walls with excitement as he hopped on over to her. "The other mentors sent me to tell you that you can come with us for a tree climbing."

Firepaw's eyes widened before she beamed with happiness. "Really? Great!" the fiery apprentice meowed brightly, "Let's go."

Purring, Whitepaw flicked his tail towards her to tell Firepaw to follow him and trotted over to the gorse tunnel.

By the time they made it to the Great Sycamore, their mentors were already there along with Smallear and Lionheart with Tinypaw and Tigerpaw. Bluefur, she noticed, wasn't looking all too happy that she was there.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," the blue-gray she-cat mewed hesitantly. "Firepaw should get some more rest."

The ginger apprentice felt her heart drop. Didn't her mentor want her as an apprentice anymore? She couldn't figure out why Bluefur was so against the idea about her going back to training. As far as Firepaw could tell, she was perfectly ready to take on any task her mentor gave her.

Lionheart flicked his tail. "Drop it, Bluefur," the golden warrior meowed simply. "She is perfectly fine. Featherwhisker gave the go ahead earlier this morning."

"Besides," Patchpelt added. "She needs to get back to training if she wants to be a warrior, or do you want to prove Thistleclaw right that kittypets can't be warriors?"

At that, Bluefur bristled. "Of course not!" she snapped. "I just meant that a little more rest wouldn't hurt her."

Smallear now stood up from where he'd been sitting silently as the younger warriors bickered. "All right this is no time to bicker about arrogant, bloodthirsty warriors," the small-eared tom began stiffly. "Let's get back to what we were supposed to initially be teaching the apprentices."

Patchpelt flicked an ear in agreement. "Right, so we are here to assess how well you're tree climbing abilities are," he meowed to the apprentices. "So, Firepaw? Why don't you go first?"

* * *

 **A/N: Ooh, I wonder what's going to happen next? *smirks mysteriously/mischievously* Please review! :D And also, please vote on the poll I've set up for you people to decide who Firepaw's warrior name should be, it is on my profile.**

 **~SilverMoon2015**


	9. Author's Note

**Hello everyone. Sorry this isn't a chapter! I'm here to tell you that I've decided to rewrite this story and it will have the same name, only it will have rewrite in parentheses: Fire and the Tiniest Claws (Rewrite). So if you're still interested in reading this then go find this story! And again, I'm sorry for the wait.**

 **~SilverMoon2015**


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